White ponytail, black sunglasses and fingerless gloves. You immediately think of Karl Lagerfeld. That's the power of a strong personal brand.

Mirjam Schuele, SVP of Marketing at Karl Lagerfeld and our host Katie Street explore how one of fashion’s most iconic personal brands became a global house built on accessibility, authenticity and cultural relevance.

From reinventing Chanel and Fendi to launching his own label, Karl built more than collections - he built a recognisable identity and a world people wanted to be part of.

Here’s what we cover:

• Karl Lagerfeld: The man who became the brand
• Why he chose to build his own label after Chanel & Fendi
• “Masstige”: Making luxury more accessible without losing prestige
• The H&M collaboration that changed fashion forever
• Authenticity, provocation and why people gravitated to Karl
• Building a personal brand before building a business
• What happened after Karl passed away
• Protecting a legacy while evolving for a new generation
• Why community and emotional connection now matter more than polish

This conversation explores how luxury can be inclusive without losing its edge and what today’s brands can learn from a man (and legend) who understood identity, accessibility and cultural timing long before they became marketing buzzwords.

If you’re interested in brand building, personal branding at scale, luxury marketing, or community-driven growth then this conversation is for you.

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Subscribe to the podcast: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2UUIgMdZ6FdSCrux5BY7PI?si=c48bdbecb5be4a6e Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/marketing-in-the-madness/id1688996981

Connect with us: Mirjam Schuele LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mirjam-schuele-6b405054/

Katie Street LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katiestreet/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/streetmate/

Marketing in the Madness LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/marketing-in-the-madness-podcast/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marketinginthemadness/

Karl Lagerfeld didn’t just design fashion, he was the brand.

Katie Street sits down with Mirjam Schuele, SVP of Marketing at Karl Lagerfeld, live from the brand’s Amsterdam headquarters, to unpack how Karl built one of the most iconic personal brands in history, long before “personal branding” was even a concept.

Together, they explore:

• How Karl Lagerfeld deliberately built an unmistakable personal brand

• Why accessibility and “masstige” were central to his vision

• How the brand has evolved since Karl’s passing and how his legacy lives on

• What modern marketers can learn from Karl’s fearless authenticity

• The role of people, culture and community in marketing today

• Why authenticity will matter even more in an AI-driven future

As Karl himself famously said: “Embrace the present and invent the future.”

Listen now and learn how one man became larger than life and how you can apply those lessons to your own brand. Connect with us: Mirjam Schuele LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mirjam-schuele-6b405054/ Katie Street LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katiestreet/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/streetmate/ Marketing in the Madness LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/marketing-in-the-madness-podcast/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marketinginthemadness/ Street Agency https://street.agency/ https://www.instagram.com/street.agency/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/streetagency/

Some of the most effective marketing in history didn’t come from chasing attention, but from understanding people.

In this mini episode, Katie Street sits down with behavioural scientist (still one of the best job titles out there) and author Richard Shotton to unpack why that Guinness decision worked so well, and what it reveals about how people really make decisions.

• Setup of the Guinness story: brand heritage, long period without advertising, and why their marketing became interesting
• Introduction of “Good things come to those who wait” and the idea of leaning into a product flaw (waiting for a pint)
• Explanation of the pratfall effect, including Elliot Aronson’s 1966 experiment and why admitting flaws increases appeal.
• Discussion of the stolen thunder effect and how admitting weaknesses builds trust and persuasion.

Enjoyed the episode? Click subscribe so you never miss the conversations shaping the future of marketing, tech and brand growth.

Connect with us: Richard Shotton LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richard-shotton/

Katie Street LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katiestreet/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/streetmate/

Marketing in the Madness LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/marketing-in-the-madness-podcast/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marketinginthemadness/